There are times to be dramatic and there are times to be traditional. In today’s package art, Adam used dramatic lighting and posing perfectly. The mood of this photo fit the story to a “T” and gave the whole piece a lot of power. This isn’t an easy talent to master, but once you do your photos tend to be on a whole new level.

Sometimes photographers get so wrapped up in the subject they are shooting that they forget the important rules of composition. This is a perfect example of a photographer focusing on both the subject and the photo esthetics equally. In the photo below, KT used a great example of the Rule of Thirds, Repetition and texture. I was so proud to run this photo as the package photo today, because he did a great job. Having a good subject to shoot is half the battle, but making the photography pleasing to the eye is just as important.

The photograph I want to critique today is a little different than most. This photographer is new to our staff and has shown great improvement since he first started working at the O’Colly, however he still has some work to do. The assignment was to take a portrait of a girl who wanted to play softball but after a motorcycle injury, wasn’t able to play.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad picture by any means. However, it is kind of a boring picture. Photos play such an important part in influencing the public to pick up our paper, and I felt that this photo just didn’t quite cut it. After talking with the photographer, we both decided that it would have been a good idea to try and get a picture of Courtnei being challenged by her injuries. Or possibly a picture of her in the hospital bed holding her glove and softball. These images would have done a better job at grabbing the readers attention, and making them want to read the story that went along with it.

Some people are under the wrong understanding that for a sports photograph to be good, it has to be an action shot. This statement could not be more false. Some of the best sports photographs are ones when there is no action present. One example of this is a photo that ran in todays edition of the O’Colly.

Although this photo shows no action, it is still a powerful photograph. The lighting is perfect, allowing the players facial expressions to be seen and the emotion to be captured.

Last night the SGA speakers board hosted an event that showcases NBA superstar Shaquille O’Neal. The event was definitely more than I ever anticipated it would be. I believe at times I had tears rolling down my cheeks from laughing so hard. Covering an event like this was a once in a life-time opportunity for me, and it is one that I will never forget. This being said, the photo that ran with the package story in today’s paper, was priceless. This is a photograph that I will proudly add to my portfolio, and brag to people about several years down the road. It’s a perfect moment captured in time.

If I can stress one thing, let it be that people make your pictures better. It would have been so easy to take a boring picture of the outside of this building, and not bother finding people to include in this photo. However, by hanging around for a little bit, and finding some interesting subjects made this picture front page worthy. So, next time you think you’re asked to cover something that seems like a boring assignment, remember that finding an interesting subject to accompany your photo can make a world of difference.

I love love love this photograph. Jonathan usually is just a writer, but decided to conquer the art of photography to better his journalism. The composition in this photo is perfect. It follows the rules of thirds to a T, and is a perfect timing candid picture. I also love how the whole plane wing isn’t in the photo. It’s important when you’re taking a photo to focus on the primary object and take a picture of that. In this case, that focus was on the two engineering students.

I have to say, I’m really happy with the art in today’s O’Colly! There’s no better feeling than looking through a solid paper and seeing your photographers produce awesome art to go with the stories.

The first photo I was really impressed with was this one.

Shooting a meeting can be one of the hardest things to get good art at! However, Rick nailed this one with the perfect handshake between the new Mayor and the Municipal Judge, while framing Mayor Bates who is leaving office.This was a great job of making a fairly mundane event come to life!

The next photo I loved in today’s paper, was mine. I know that seems a little “big-headed” but this is truly one of my favorite basketball shots I’ve done.

The BEST part of this picture is the expression on their faces! You know the expression, “A picture is worth a thousand words,” well I couldn’t think of a better of example! When athletes express this kind of emotion, it’s a rare opportunity, and a rare photo at that.

Good golly miss molly it’s been a while since I’ve been on here. I’ve got to start blogging again for a Media Entrepreneurial class that I’m in this semester, and was trying to think of something creative.

Since I was on here last, I’ve taken the position of the Photo Editor at the Daily O’Collegian. I graduate in May, so taking this opportunity was huge for me. It was a bit of a challenge when I first started, but things have finally started to work themselves out and I think I’m getting the hang of it! That being said, I thought it would be neat if I linked the PDF file of every days issue on here and then critiqued the photos that ran in that paper. Thoughts?

This not only gives each of you the chance to see the awesome papers we make daily, but also to see how we think things can be better. Seeing other people’s work and critiquing it both for good and bad elements can help you tremendously in your photography skills. & after all, don’t we all want to get better?

I’ve noticed lately that the popularity of Black and White Photography has been on the rise. In my opinion, using the technique of black and white images can be very beneficial to the photograph, as well as very detrimental. Two of the best Black and White photographers in my opinion are Ansel Adams and Paul Politis. I think they have both successfully mastered the art of black and white photography, as well as making breathtaking images.

In order to make a black and white images successful, there are a few things I feel are important to keep in mind. The first is, “When to Shoot.” Many photographers prefer to shoot black and white images in low contrast situations, making a dark or overcast day perfect for out door shots. These are usually the conditions most people prefer to not shoot in, however next time its a gloomy day, take the challenge and practice shooting in black and white.

The next thing to keep in mind is, “Composition.” Most of the same rules apply to color photography as they do to black and white photography. Although, the one main difference is that you’re unable to use color to lead the eye into or around your point of interest in the shot in a black and white image. As a result, you have to train yourself to look at shapes, tones and textures in your frame as points of interest. Shadows and highlights are good examples of this.

The last thing to keep in mind is to “Shoot in Low ISO.” Shooting in the lowest ISO setting possible, will guarantee there to be the least amount of “noise” in your images. This makes the image cleaner and more pleasing to the eye.

Although all of these tips are completely self-preference, I truly believe they will help to make your black and white images more effective. If you’re lacking confidence in me however, these Five Vital Tips elaborate on what I have found to be effective myself.

I will leave you with a photo essay a fellow student of mine shot last semester in my photography class. This was a month long assignment and Charlie’s use of Black and White Photography definitely had a powerful impact on how his essay was viewed. Look closely for the tips I talked about that make good images, because there are lots of good examples here.